Hatch construction



Aug. 28, 1951 J. 5. SWANN HATCH CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1 948 INVE. Jafize55 Swan/Z, BY

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 HATCH CONSTRUCTION James S. Swann, Homewood, Ill., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,479

This invention relates to the hatch construction of metal car roofs of the type wherein the hatchways are arranged in pairs, one on each side of the roof, and are defined by metal hatch frames that extend above the general level of the roof.

Usually a roof sheet conforming to the shape of the adjacent roof sheets extends between and is secured to the facing sides of the hatch frames. With this construction the ridge of the car roof continues longitudinally of the roof between the hatch frames, and as a consequence, water, cinders, dirt, etc. collect along the sides of the hatch frame adjacent the ridge of the car, greatly accelerating corrosion which is, of course, a detriment to any roof.

The principal object of the invention therefore is to provide a roof sheet between such hatch frames which is as self clearing as possible. Other objects are to provide for simplicity and cheapness of construction and compactness of design.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a metal 4 Claims. (01. 1085.4)

5 are located in the roof directly above the ice or refrigerant bunkers and are supported in position by a pair of carlines l which extend from side to side of the car and are secured in any desired manner at their ends to angle brackets 8 which in turn are secured, by rivets 9 or other acceptable means to side plates 2. Carlines I are spaced apart the width of the hatch frames and the adjacent sides of the hatch frames are secured by welding or other acceptable means to said carlines, thereby providing adequate and rigid support therefor. .Carlines 'l are of course inclined upwardly from the .side plates to the ridge, and the roof sheets I. on opposite sides of the hatch frames rest upon and are supported along one edge by the lateral flange of said carline 1. Between the hatch frames 5 and extending I also between the carlines 1, is a rectangular roof car roof provided with a roof and hatch construct'ion embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through a roof sheet adjacent the hatch frames and taken on the line 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the roof sheet between the hatch frames on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section similar to Figure 3 but on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the roof sheet between the hatch frames and the associated parts partly in section and partly broken away.

In the drawings the invention is shown embodied in a railway car roof comprising roof sheets I that span from side plate 2 to side plate 2 of the car and have depending end or eave flanges 3 that overlap and are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the outer sides of the upstanding flanges 4 of the side plates.

The hatch frames are indicated at 5 and are usually of rectangular form and of sufficient depth to extend both above and below the roof sheets. The upper edges of said frames are usually bent outwardly as shown at 6 to provide strength, pleasing appearance, and form a seat for a hatch plug or cover, not shown. These hatch frames sheet III which is bent transversely along a medial line H from side to side of the sheet forming a transverse ridge and sloping downwardly on opposite sides thereof. The sides of this sheet Illhave upturned flanges 12 which are welded to the adjacent sides of the hatch frames. This roof sheet I0 is also bent along a longitudinal line I3 which is coincident with the ridge l4 of the car roof and slopes upwardly from its juncture with ridge H to its juncture at joint IS with ridge ll. Each end of the sheet I 0 is provided with a laterally extending flange l6 which rests upon and is secured by welding or otherwise to the upper flange of carline 1.

The roof sheets I are provided with upstanding flanges II, which flanges l I and an adjacent strip of roof sheets I approximating the width of flanges l6, are coped out as at l8, so as to permit flanges l6 and the abutting roof sheet I to occur in the same plane and be butt-welded together and to carlines I, as at l9. (See Figures 3 and 4.). Flanges I! are welded or secured to the sides of hatch frames 5.

In the roof sheet l0, four diagonal valleys are formed, each extending from point l5, approximately in the center of the sheet, to a corner of the sheet. In other words, the two intersecting fold lines H and I3 divide the sheet [0 into four substantially equal quarters, each quarter being provided with a diagonal valley extending between two opposite corners thereof. This structure results in a ridge and valley roof sheet extending between the hatch frames and between the carlines 1, with all valleys sloping downwardly from an apex [5 to the corners of the sheet, and. also the sheet sloping downwardly away from the sides of the hatch frame. The

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is; 1. In a railway car roof having a longitudinai" 4 section of said ridge to a corner of said roof sheet.

3. In a railway car roof having a longitudinal ridge and a pair of spaced hatch frames embodied in said roof, a roof sheet located between said hatch frames and formed with atransverse ridge above the general level of the car roof, and

a longitudinal ridge in line' with the ridge of the car roof, said ridges intersecting at the approxiridge and a pair of spaced hatch framesr em:-

bodied in said roof, a roof sheet located between said hatch frames and formedwith a transverse:

ridge above the general level: of the car roof,

and a longitudinal ridge, said ridges intersecting at the approximate center of said sheet, said longitudinal ridge sloping downwardly on op posite sides of said transverse ridge to the plane a of the ridge of the car roof on opposite sides of said roof sheet, 7 c

2. In.a.railway'car roof having a longitudinal ridge andga pairof'spaced. hatch frames embodied in said roof, a roof sheet located between said hatch frames and formed; with a transverse ridgeabove thegeneraljevel of the carrolof, and a longitudinal ridge in line with the ridge of the car, roof, said ridges intersecting at the approximate center of said sheet, said longitudinal ridge sloping downwardly on,opposite.sides of said transverse ridge tothe plane of the ridge of the carroofjon oppositesides of said roof sheet, and.a plurality ,of valleys formed in said roof sheet, each valley extending from the inter mate center of said sheet, and a plurality of valleys; formed in said roof sheet, each valley extending from the intersection of said ridge to acornen of said roofsheet.

4;,A roof sheet-for a railway car roof, said roof'sheetformedwith a transverse ridge and a longitudinal ridge,- said ridges intersecting at the approximate center of said sheet, said longitudinal-ridge sloping downwardly on opposite sides of said transverse ridge, and a plurality of valleys formed in said roof sheet, each valley extending, from the intersection of said ridge topa corner 'of'saidiroof sheet.

JAMES S. SWANN.

file. oithis; patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date- 853,897 Porter May'l l, 1907 2,017,751

Cralley Oct. 15, 1935 

